whedon



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

o. T. WHBDON. DRYING HOUSE. NO. 262,870. Patented Aug..l5, 1882.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. 'I'. WHEDON.

` DRYING HOUSE. No. 262,870. Patented Aug. 15, 1882.,

17' .5. W j l@ i/ Q i; i ll; 4/

@Ez-e625.' v/ezzzo.

. a citizen ot1 the United States,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES T. WHEDON, OF WHITEFIELD, N. H., ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO ALSON L. BROWN AND WARREN G. BROWN, OF SAME PLACE.

DRYlNG-HOUSE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 262,870, dated August 15, 1882.

Application filed December 10, 1881. (No model.)

` To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. WHEDON,

residing at Whitelield, in the county of Coos and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dry Houses or Kilos, of which the following is a specification,

reference being had therein to the accompany ing drawings.

ro This invention relates to improvements in dry houses or kilns for drying lumber, malt, starch, or other articles requiring the aid ot' an artiticial process for their proper desiccation, the object being to maintain a continuous circulation of air through the h'ouse, thereby withdrawing the moist air and condensing the moisture therein contained, as will be herein after more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved dry-house, the roof being removed; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal section of the same on the line m of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line y y of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a similar section on the line e z of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofan air-chamber, and Fig. 6 is a detailed view of a modification.

A represents a dry house or kiln constructed in the usual manner.

B is a partition or Wall extending across the house from end to end and upward nearly to the roof, leaving an opening at the top, as shown. Inthe space or compartment (l between this partition and the side of the house 5 5 A is placed, resting on the tloor of the house,

the air-chamber D. This chamber extends the whole length ot the house, and is of the same width as the space C, and fits snugly therein, as shown. Above this air-chamber D is placed a drip-trough, E, supported on said air-cham ler by legs a a, of di'erent heights, in order to give the trough the requisite inclination for carrying ott' the condensed moisture or drip. Resting on the top of this trough are the condensers F. The trough E and condensers F are of an equal but less width than the compartment C, and are so placed in said space as to leave a space or passage on each side ot' them for the passage of air to the air-chamber 5o D, as clearly shown.

t or blower to said chamber.

' G is another air box or chamber, extending across the house near its middle and resting on Vthe floor. It has a large hole or opening,

b, in its bottom, which connects by a similar hole inthe floor with the entrance-pipe c, for the admission ofthe dry air forced by a fan Smaller holes, d d, are provided in the top and sides of this chamber for the escape of the dry air into all. parts of the main house. l

The air-chamber D has a large opening, e, in its bottom at one corner ot' the house, a similar opening being cut through the floor for the passage of air from the condensers to the pipe f.' There are a series of apertures, g g, in the 65 top ot' this chamber and several openings or doors, 7L IL, in its side which is adjacent to the partition B, as shown in Fig. 5. Between this' chamber D and the trough E is a space, as shown, for the passage of air from the con- 7o densers to the holes g g.

The condensersF, of any desired number, are rectangular boxes, having a number of vertical tubes, p p, passing through them, and also several rows of transverse horizontal tubes, 'i i, between the vertical ones p p, as shown. Through the condensers, around the tubes p and t', circulates cold water, which is admitted by the inlet-pipe 7c, and passes from one con- 4 denser to the other by means of the connect- 8o ing-pipes Z l and out by the pipe m.

The pipesfand c, as shown in Fig. ti, are connected by a pipe having a blower or fan for creating a current of air.

The operation is as follows: The fan, being'S 5 in motion, draws the moist air in the house through the space above the partition R into the compartment C and through the condensers by the tubes p p, its moisture condensing in said tubes, which are kept at a constant low temperature by the cold water circulation around them, and, drippinginto the trough E, passes out of the house by the pipe a. The air, thus deprived of its moisture, passes uuderthe trough and through holes g g into the air-chamber D, from whence it is withdrawn by the suction ofthe fan, which forces it through pipe cinto the air-chamber G, from which it escapes, in a divided state or in currents, by means of the apertures d d into all parts of the house, roo

where it circulates upward through the articles to be dried, absorbing moisture therefrom, and again passes out to the condensers, as before, as indicated by the arrows.

At the bottom of the partition B is an opening, 0, of considerable length, which is closed by a slide, H, as shown in Fig. 4. When the fan is not in operation a circulation of air can be produced by raising the slide H, thus permitting the air to pass through the doors h h in the chamber D.

Instead of having the condensers placed inside ot the house A, and with a circulation ot' cold water through their interiors, as/above described, they may be placed outside th ebuild,- ing, as shown in Fig. 6, where the condenser is submerged in cold water, and the atmosphere from the dry-house is passed through the inside of the same andthe drip carried. off by a drip-pipe at the bottom. 1n this method the fan must be constantly in operation. 'Ihe circulation is indicated by the arrowsin the gure.

By this improvement a continuous circulation of air is maintained, producing not only a more rapid condensation, but also obviating the-great objection to other dry-houses, which do not carry oft' the moist atmosphere'rapidly enough, thereby retarding the process of seasoning. Moreover, the circulation of dry air creates a great absorbent power, making the drying process very rapid, and also so uniform that the lumber'in the center of the house is seasoned as rapidly as the outside of the pile, and is prevented from molding.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1.. The combination, inafdry-house, cfa partition, B, provided with an opening, 0, and slide H, a compartment, C, provided with condensers F, having tubes pt and connectingpipes l, drip-trough E, air-chamber D, having holes g g, doors h h, and opening e, a blower or fan, pipesfc, and air-chamber Gr, having 0peningb=andi holes d, substantially as and for the purposesshown and described.

2. The combination,in adry-house, ofthe condensersF, trough E, and air-chamber D, l1aving holesg g, doors h h, and opening e, with the partition B, having opening o and slide H, and air-chamber G, provided with holes d and openings b, allv arranged and operating in the `manner and for the purpose substantially as shown and described.

3. A'n air-chamber, D, having opening e,

doors h h, and holes g g, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I aftix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES T. WHEDON. Witnesses:

SAML. ALLARD, f JOHN G. TRULAN. 

